2010-2011 AP US History
Mr Max - Malden High School - D445
Periods 1, 3, 7
Textbook:
American History: A Survey by Alan Brinkley During each chapter, students will be responsible for creating and completing identifications of key terms and people. As you read, identify the important terms and people, then describe both what/who it is and why it is important to the history being studied (all in your own words). Also, you will compile ongoing lists at the beginning of your notebooks, with dates and brief descriptions, of domestic and international conflicts, legislation, Supreme Court cases, political parties, and artwork. For each chapter in the text, students will also be responsible for completing chapter questions. The textbook will be supplemented with primary source documents, map activities, videos, internet activities, and other prepared assignments. Other Materials: 1) Each student must have a 3-ring binder with lined paper and dividers. Your binder must have 3 general sections:
1. year-long information such as this syllabus and the protocols you will receive for different activities
2. the ongoing lists that we will create
3. chapter work - within this chapter work section, you will keep each chapter separated by a divider.
2) A highlighter and pens of multiple colors (at least two colors each day).3) A travel drive.
The Course: Unit Plans: The following is a very general outline and will undoubtedly be changed as the year progresses:
Unit I: Chapters 1-5 Topics 1-4 Start of school to 1st week in October
Unit II: Chapters 6-10 Topics 5-7
1st week in October to 3rd Week in October
Unit III: Chapters 11-15 Topics 8-13 3rd week in October to 3rd week in November
Unit IV: Chapters 16-20 Topics 14-17 3rd week in November to 3rd week in December (includes Thanksgiving Break)
Unit V: Chapters 21-23 Topics 18-19 3rd week in December to mid-January (Fri Jan 14th) (includes Winter Break and midterm review)
Midterms: Tues-Thurs January 18-20 (January 17th is MLK Jr Day)
Unit VI: Chapters 24-26 Topics 19-20 Last week in January to mid-February
Unit VII: Chapters 27-29 Topics 21-24 Mid-February to mid-March (includes February Break)
Unit VIII: Chapters 30-34 Topics 25-28 Mid-March to mid-April
Unit IX: REVIEW:The plan is to be finished with all 34 chapters of the book and 28 topics of the AP outline by Tuesday April 12, which is the Tuesday before April Vacation. This will give us a few days, April Vacation, then a couple of weeks to review for the 2011 US History AP Exam: Friday, May 6 at 8 AM. What do we do after the AP Exam in early May? We take a few days to relax and then we begin an end of year individual research paper and group project. We'll worry about all that in mid-May.
Class Structure: Most of your textbook reading will take place outside of class. In class, we will spend much of our time organizing and processing information from the readings, analyzing primary source documents, discussing and debating, and developing writing and test-taking skills. It is your responsibility to make class a challenging academic environment. You will also be expected to get to know everyone else in the class and to work with different partners and groups on a regular basis. You must be prepared for class in order to be ready to learn from classmates and to contribute to others' learning. A great deal of what you learn will depend on your interactions with your classmates: be ready to ask and answer questions, to discuss issues, and to push each other to think deeply about the topics we are working with.You will be graded on your tests, projects, quizzes, essays, and your home and class work, as well as your contributions to class discussions, debates, and presentations. You will also be graded on your notebooks: both your binder and your virtual notebook. Your notebooks will be invaluable resources as you progress through the year. Success on tests, essays, and presentations will largely depend on how well you complete your classwork and homework, and how well you manage your notebooks. More details on the notebooks to come…
Mr Max - Malden High School - D445
Periods 1, 3, 7
Textbook:
American History: A Survey by Alan Brinkley
During each chapter, students will be responsible for creating and completing identifications of key terms and people. As you read, identify the important terms and people, then describe both what/who it is and why it is important to the history being studied (all in your own words). Also, you will compile ongoing lists at the beginning of your notebooks, with dates and brief descriptions, of domestic and international conflicts, legislation, Supreme Court cases, political parties, and artwork. For each chapter in the text, students will also be responsible for completing chapter questions. The textbook will be supplemented with primary source documents, map activities, videos, internet activities, and other prepared assignments.
Other Materials:
1) Each student must have a 3-ring binder with lined paper and dividers. Your binder must have 3 general sections:
- 1. year-long information such as this syllabus and the protocols you will receive for different activities
- 2. the ongoing lists that we will create
- 3. chapter work - within this chapter work section, you will keep each chapter separated by a divider.
2) A highlighter and pens of multiple colors (at least two colors each day).3) A travel drive.The Course: Unit Plans:
The following is a very general outline and will undoubtedly be changed as the year progresses:
Unit I: Chapters 1-5 Topics 1-4
Start of school to 1st week in October
Unit II: Chapters 6-10 Topics 5-7
1st week in October to 3rd Week in October
Unit III: Chapters 11-15 Topics 8-13
3rd week in October to 3rd week in November
Unit IV: Chapters 16-20 Topics 14-17
3rd week in November to 3rd week in December (includes Thanksgiving Break)
Unit V: Chapters 21-23 Topics 18-19
3rd week in December to mid-January (Fri Jan 14th) (includes Winter Break and midterm review)
Midterms: Tues-Thurs January 18-20 (January 17th is MLK Jr Day)
Unit VI: Chapters 24-26 Topics 19-20
Last week in January to mid-February
Unit VII: Chapters 27-29 Topics 21-24
Mid-February to mid-March (includes February Break)
Unit VIII: Chapters 30-34 Topics 25-28
Mid-March to mid-April
Unit IX: REVIEW:The plan is to be finished with all 34 chapters of the book and 28 topics of the AP outline by Tuesday April 12, which is the Tuesday before April Vacation. This will give us a few days, April Vacation, then a couple of weeks to review for the 2011 US History AP Exam: Friday, May 6 at 8 AM.
What do we do after the AP Exam in early May? We take a few days to relax and then we begin an end of year individual research paper and group project. We'll worry about all that in mid-May.
Class Structure:
Most of your textbook reading will take place outside of class. In class, we will spend much of our time organizing and processing information from the readings, analyzing primary source documents, discussing and debating, and developing writing and test-taking skills. It is your responsibility to make class a challenging academic environment. You will also be expected to get to know everyone else in the class and to work with different partners and groups on a regular basis. You must be prepared for class in order to be ready to learn from classmates and to contribute to others' learning. A great deal of what you learn will depend on your interactions with your classmates: be ready to ask and answer questions, to discuss issues, and to push each other to think deeply about the topics we are working with.You will be graded on your tests, projects, quizzes, essays, and your home and class work, as well as your contributions to class discussions, debates, and presentations. You will also be graded on your notebooks: both your binder and your virtual notebook. Your notebooks will be invaluable resources as you progress through the year. Success on tests, essays, and presentations will largely depend on how well you complete your classwork and homework, and how well you manage your notebooks. More details on the notebooks to come…
Grading Percentages:Tests/Essays: 50%Quizzes: 15% Classwork/Notebooks: 15% Homework: 20%